now one very rare positive effect of the
past few months has been on the
environment the biggest ever reduction
in the volume of carbon dioxide released
into the world's atmosphere has been
recorded since March at the height of
the lockdown scientists discovered that
daily emissions around the world dropped
by more than 17 percent the biggest fall
was in China which saw drop in emissions
of 24 percent here in the UK the
reduction was 13% but scientists are
warning that this extreme reduction as
they call it in greenhouse gas emissions
is likely to be temporary as our science
editor David Chapman explains all over
the world some stunning transformations
from choked streets in India becoming
karma and easier to breathe in to the
most famous landmark in China suddenly
looking clear to the center of Paris
often polluted now quieter and cleaner
the fight against the virus has slowed
down many economies at huge cost but
it's also done wonders for the air and
for the carbon emissions that are
heating up the planet
the drop in traffic is a major part of
that here in the UK and globally lower
demand for electricity has also made a
difference along with the grounding of
claims fewer flights means less carbon
released into the air it's a pattern
seen around the world
the lighter the shade here the bigger
the decline in emissions in some
countries up again but still a huge
change the fall in emissions we're
seeing 17% per day is is enormous we
haven't experienced something like this
before as far as we can tell it's driven
by changes in Road Transport but now
that China is out of lockdown traffic
there is building up so emissions are
rising once again the carbon cut is not
permanent on some key roads the traffic
is starting to come back a bit as the
lockdown is eased but the impact of the
different restrictions on the
environment has been really striking not
only are those carbon emissions down the
quality of the air
has got a lot better different types of
pollution have fallen dramatically so as
the economy recovers will we see a
return to the toxic haze hanging over
our cities experts in air pollution hope
the crisis has shown what's possible
very unfortunate natural experiment but
it doesn't really show us that by
changing the vehicles on our road or
reducing the vehicles of around or
changing over to electric vehicles we
can immediately reduce air pollution
which that a very very important message
many cities are now trying to encourage
more cycling and walking to help keep
people safe from the disease and also to
reduce pollution their hope is that amid
the nightmare of the virus a greener
future can be created david footman BBC
news leaders of birmingham city council
have sent a letter to parents and school
staff saying they will only support
schools opening to more pupils when it
is safe to do so follows on from other
city councils including liverpool device
similar concerns earlier this month the
government set out plans for schools in
england potentially reopening two more
pupils from the start of june cambridge
university has announced it will move
all of its lectures online until the
summer of 2021 as a result of the
pandemic
it said smaller teaching groups may
continue in person provided social
distancing can be maintained the
university stressed it will keep the
situation under review and in line with
official advice the Premier League has
said that there were six positive test
for coronavirus in three clubs tested
over the past few days the announcement
came as some teams returned to group
training for the first time since the
lockdown began a total of 748 players
and staff from 19 clubs have so far been
tested and the six testing positive in
this batch will now self isolate for a
week now in the US president Trump has
been widely criticised by health experts
following his admission that he was
taking an anti-malaria drug to protect
himself against the virus after two
people in the
Wight has tested positive for the
disease regulators have warned that
there's no evidence that it provides any
protection from Kovac 19 and may indeed
cause heart problems president has
continued his attacks on the World
Health Organization calling it a puppet
of Beijing which failed to hold China to
account for the original outbreak he
says our correspondent NIC Bryant has
the latest the White House is one of the
most heavily protected buildings on the
planet
guarded by Secret Service agents ready
to take a bullet for the president but
in the midst of this viral onslaught can
they protect Donald Trump from himself
last night he happily made a stunning
admission that to fend off the corona
virus he's taking an anti-malaria drug
hydroxychloroquine that his own
government has warned against using for
covert 19 out of fear of the fatal
consequences I happen to be taking it I
happen to be taking it right now a
couple of weeks ago I started taking it
because I think it's good I've heard a
lot of good stories and if it's not good
I'll tell you right I'm not gonna get
hurt by it
it's been around for 40 years this was
the astonished response on Fox News a
network that's ordinarily the
president's cheerleader Channel if you
are in a risky population here and you
are taking this as a preventive
treatment to ward off the virus or in a
worst case scenario you are dealing with
the virus and you are in this vulnerable
population it will kill you
I cannot stress enough this will kill
you
but even after being deluge by an acid
shower of criticism tonight on Capitol
Hill Donald Trump continued to prescribe
the drug I think it gives you an
additional level of safety but you can
ask many doctors are in favor of it
many frontline workers won't go there
unless they have the hydroxy and so
again this is an individual decision to
make but it's had a great reputation and
if it was somebody else other than me
people would say gee isn't that smart
he's also doubled down on his threat to
halt u.s. funding of the world
organization which has been meeting
mostly virtually in Geneva the US
president has bemoaned it's repeated
missteps but its director-general
defended the global body for all our
differences we are one human race and we
are stronger together many medical
experts say it's not just the damage
that Donald Trump could cause himself by
taking this anti-malarial drug it's the
example he's setting to others in the
midst of a crisis that has already
claimed more than 90,000 American lives
they fear the president is dispensing
dangerous and potentially faithful
advice Nick Brandt BBC News New York